Sheet glass apparatus



Ail e, 1935. J, L, DRAKE 2,010,063

SHEET GLASS APPARATUS Filed July 9, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 inventor (JOHN ,L. DRAKE V (Ittomeg Aug. 6, 1935. J. L. DRAKE SHEET GLASS APPARATUS I Filed July 9, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FE. I:

' 3nnentor O/OHN L. DIP/IKE- By M (Ittorneg Patented Aug. 6, 1935 PATELNT orrlce 'SHEET GLASS APPARATUS.

John LfDrake, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Libbey- Owens-Ford Glass Company, Toledo, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application July 9, 1932, Serial No. 621,613

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in sheet glass forming apparatus. a

invention has utility when incorporated in a-rolling machine for producing continuous sheet glass wherein a pair of horizontally arranged forming rolls are positioned above a working receptacle containing a mass of molten glass, said rolls being spaced from one another to create a vertical sheet forming pass therebetween and being positively driven in a manner to draw a relatively heavy body of glass upwardly from the molten mass and reduce it to a sheet of a substantially predetermined and uniform thickness. In order that proper formation of the sheet may take place, it is of course essential that sufiicient glass be supplied to the forming rolls in'order thatan actual rolling of the glass :may be achieved. t I

An, important object of the invention resides ,in -the positioning of the forming rolls relative to. one another and to the-molten mass of glass withinthe working receptacle in such a manner asto facilitate the supplying of the molten glass to the forming pass, whereby the requisite amount of glass necessary at the sheet forming pass to permit an actual rolling thereof will be assured.

Another object of the invention resides in the positioning of the forming rolls in such amanner thatthe glass supplied to the closed end of the working receptacle will be hotter than heretofore ,wherebythe tendency toward stagnation of the glass within this end of the receptacle will be :reduced to a minimum.- 7 I Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description when taken in connection. with the accompanying drawings.

' 1-In the drawings forming a part of this application and wherein like numerals are employed 1 to designate like parts throughout the same,

i Fig, 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through sheetglass rolling apparatus embodying the present; invention, V

1 Fig.2 is a transverse section therethrough taken substantially on line 2 -2 of Fig. 1,

Fig.3 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 1 but 1 showing the forming rollsina different position with respect to the mass of molten glass, and Fig, 4 is a similar view showing a still further positioning'of the forming rolls.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly Y to Figs, 1 and 2, the numeral 5 designates a relatively shallow working receptacle or pot con- "taining a mass of molten glass 6 supplied thereto from any suitable type of glass melting furna e L The working receptacle 5 is ordinarily supported upon stools 8 arranged within a suitable heating chamber 9. i

- Positioned above the working receptacle 5 and extending transversely thereof is a pair'of horizontal sheet forming rolls l0 and H spaced from one another to create a vertical sheet forming pass therebetween, the width of which determines the thickness of sheet produced. The forming rolls l0 and II are rotatably supported at each end within bearings I2 and I3 respectively and are positively driven in any desired manner so that, upon rotation thereof, the said rolls are adapted to draw a relatively heavy body of glass. l4 upwardly from the molten mass 6 andreduce the same to a sheet I5 of substantially predetermined and uniform thickness. 1

As herein shown, the glass sheet I5 is continuedupwardly for a relatively short distance beyond the forming rolls l0 and l l and is then deflected about a rotatable member or roll l6 into a substantially horizontal plane wherein it is supported and carried along upon a series of horizontally arranged conveyor rolls ll into an annealing leer (not shown). The bending roll I6 may be rotatably supported at each end within .a bearing [8, and while preferably positively driven, may be permitted to idly rotate if desired. I As pointed out hereinabove, it is essential, in order to effect an actual rolling of the upwardly moving body ofglass M to a sheet of substantially predetermined and uniform thickness, that asuflicient amount of glass be at all times supplied to the sheet forming pass to permit of such rolling. In sheet glass rolling machines of the typeillustrated, the supply of molten glass to .the closed end l9 of working receptacle 5 beyond the point of draw must obviously flow beneath the "surface toward this end since the surface glass is being drawn upwardly. There is a tendency for thegreater portion of the upper flow of glass into the sheet to be from the end toward the furnace so thatif care is not taken, stagnation of the glass in the closed end of the receptacle may occur. V

Heretofore, it has been proposed to position the forming rolls [0 and II either spaced above the mass of molten glass 6 or to immerse the lower portions of the peripheries of the rolls therein. When the rolls are immersed within the smolten glass, the movement of the glass to the ing rolls, and especially that roll adjacent the furnace, has a decided cooling action upon the glass, tending to chill the glass passing to the closed end of the receptacle, with the result that it has a tendency to become stagnant, as a consequence of which the movement of the glass to the sheet forming pass is rendered more dinicult. On the other hand, when the forming rolls are spaced above the surface of the molten glass, the glass is of course not subjected to as great a cooling action so that hotter glass can be supplied to the closed end of the receptacle. However, when the rolls are in this position, the feeding of the molten glass to the sheet forming pass is made more difiicult.

It is an aim and object of this invention to so position the forming rolls l0 and IIv relative to one another and to the mass of molten glass that not only will the requisite amount of glass be supplied to the sheet forming pass to permit an actual rolling thereof, but also whereby hotter glass may be supplied to the closed end of the receptacle, which will tend to reduce stagnation and the formation of dog metal to a minimum, and likewise facilitate the movement of the glass from this end of the receptacle to the forming pass. Briefly stated, these objects are accomplished by positioning the forming roll It adjacent the closed end I9 of working receptacle 5 at a relatively lower level than the forming roll H and in maintaining the roll H1 immersed within the molten mass of glass 6 while the roll ll may be either spaced above the molten mass, located at the level thereof or immersed slightly therein. By way of example only, the roll 10 may be disposed approximately three-quarters of an inch below the level of roll II, and this difference in level'is maintained regardless of the positioning of the rolls relative to the mass of molten glass 6.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the forming roll I!) has the lower portion of its periphery slightly immersed within the mass of molten glass 6, while the roll ll is arranged at substantially the level of the molten mass, being neither above nor beneath the same. With this arrangement, the roll H will not have such a decided cooling action upon the glass passing to the closed end of the receptacle so that the glass supplied to this end of the receptacle will be hotter than if this roll were immersed in the molten mass. On the other hand, since-the roll I'D-is immersed'within the molten glass, the movement ofthe glass from the closed end of the receptacle tothesheet forming pass can be more readily eifected than if this roll were also at the surface of the molten glass. Since the glass passing to the closed end of the receptacle is hotter, the movement thereof to the forming rolls will be easier to maintain, as a consequence of which a sufficient supply of glass will not only be delivered to the sheet forming pass but, in addition, the tendency of the glass to become stagnant and devitrified within the closed end of the receptacle-willbe-greatly reduced.

In Figs. 3 and 4, the rolls l0 and H, while being positioned relative to one another in the same manner as in Fig. I, are shown as being positioned differently with respect to the mass of molten glass 6. However, in each of these cases the roll it is immersed within the molten glass, with the roll. ll being arranged at a slightly higher level so as to reduce the cooling effect upon the glass passing therebeneath. For instance, in Fig. 3 both of" the rolls l1)" and H are immersed within the molten glass 6, but the roll I I3 is immersed to a relatively greater depth than roll ll. Obviously, the chilling effect of roll II upon the glass will not be as great as if this roll were immersed within the glass to the same depth as roll H]. In Fig. 4, the roll I!) is immersed within the molten glass, whereas the roll I I is spaced thereabove to further reduce the cooling efiect thereof uponthe molten glass.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In sheet glass apparatus, an upwardly opening receptacle having a closed end and an open end and containing a mass of molten glass providing an open unrestricted working area, a pair of horizontal driven forming rolls positioned transversely over the working area and arranged to provide a substantially vertical pass therebetween, said rolls being adapted to draw a relatively heavy body of molten glass upwardly from substantially thesurface of said mass and reduce it to a sheet of substantially predetermined thickness, the forming roll adjacent theclosed end of the receptacle being disposed at a relatively lower level than the roll' adjacent the open end of said receptacle.

2. In sheet glass apparatus, an upwardly opening receptacle having a closed end and an open end and containing a mass of molten glass providi'ng an open unrestricted working area, a pair of horizontal driven forming rolls positioned transversely over the working area and arranged to provide a substantially vertical pass therebetween, said rolls being adapted to draw a relatively heavy body of molten glass upwardly-from substantially'the surface of said mass and reduce it to a sheet of substantially predetermined thicknose, the forming roll adjacent the closed end of the receptacle being immersed in the molten glass and disposed at a relatively lower level than the roll adjacent the open end of said receptacle,

and a third roll mounted above the forming rolls for deflecting the sheet from the vertical into the horizontal plane.

3. In sheet glass apparatus, a receptacle containing a mass ofmolten glass and having a closed end and an open end, a pair of horizontal driven forming rolls positioned transversely above the receptacle inwardly of the closed end thereof and arranged to provide a substantially vertical pass therebetween, said rolls being adapted to draw a relatively heavy body of molten glass upwardly from said mass and reduce it to a sheet of substantially predetermined thickness, the forming roll adjacent the closed end of the receptacle being immersed in the molten glass, with the roll adjacent the open end of said receptacle having its periphery located at substantially the surface of the molten glass.

4-. In sheet glass apparatus, a receptacle containing a mass of molten glass and having a closed end and an open end, a pair of horizontal driven forming rolls positioned transversely above the receptacle inwardly of the closed end thereof and arranged to provide a substantially vertical pass therebetween, said rolls being adapted to draw a relatively heavy body of molten glass upwardly from said. mass and reduce it to a sheet of suba oiopee stantially predetermined thickness, the forming roll adjacent the closed end of the receptacle being immersed in the molten glass, with the roll adjacent the open end of said receptacle having its periphery located at substantially the surface of the molten glass, and a third roll mounted above the forming rolls for deflecting the sheet from the vertical into the horizontal plane.

5. In sheet glass apparatus, a receptacle containing a mass of molten glass and having a closed end and an open end, a pair of horizontal driven forming rolls positioned transversely above the receptacle inwardly of the closed end thereof and arranged to provide a substantially vertical pass therebetween, said rolls being adapted to draw a relatively heavy body of molten glass upwardly from said mass and reduce it to a sheet of substantially predetermined thickness, both of said forming rolls having their peripheries immersed within the mass of molten glass, with the roll adjacent the closed end of the receptacle being immersed to a relatively greater depth than the roll adjacent the open end thereof.

6. In sheet glass apparatus, a receptacle containing a mass of molten glass and having a closed end and an open end, a pair of horizontal driven forming rolls positioned transversely above the receptacle inwardly of the closed end thereof and arranged to provide a substantially vertical pass therebetween, said. rolls being adapted to draw a relatively heavy body of molten glass upwardly from said mass and reduce it to a sheet of substantially predetermined thickness, both of said forming rolls having their peripheries immersed within the mass of molten glass, with the roll adjacent the closed end of the receptacle being immersed to a relatively greater depth than the roll adjacent the open end thereof, and a third roll mounted above the forming rolls for deflecting the sheet from the vertical into the horizontal plane.

JOHN L. DRAKE. 

